SSBB: The Accident
by melrose13
Summary: The epic tale that rattles the lives of every Smasher aboard the battleship Halberd. Beginning with a tragic accident and a confused love, the story can only get better from there. You'll have to read to find out more...
1. Prolog

In the beginning, there were two paths; two separate routes that forked off of the road of life and led in opposite directions. These consisted of the choice of the righteous path and the choice of the wicked path. As time passed, each person's choice was made and sides were taken. The two opposites almost never remained in balance, with evil always threatening to take over, and good always struggling to maintain stability and keep the wicked in their place.

When darkness gained a new name, Tabuu, the heroes were forced to assemble to destroy the menace threatening to destroy everything. They came from all corners of the universe, from different dimensions and worlds in hopes of being strong enough to destroy Tabuu.

Though they all differed in size, shape, and background, they put everything aside and took down the great evil. Many friends were made on that journey, as well as many adversaries.

Just as many were returning home, evil began to rise again; this time armed with much greater forces. Unfortunately for some, the temptation of evil had been too great, and they had chosen to leave the brethren of heroes and join the wicked.

Suddenly, the entire universe was in peril; everything that the heroes cherished was now in danger. Although their numbers had dwindled from before, the heroes believed in their ability to take victory and assembled once more.

On the battleship Halberd is where this story begins, merely a year after the defeat of Tabuu. Sir Meta Knight steers the massive airship to the place they predict the new evil is gathering, a dark dimension that sits in the forgotten recesses of the cosmos. None of our heroes have ever ventured to this mysterious realm, but now all must go there to conquer those who endanger all that they love.

Will they succeed?


	2. Chapter 1

"_Marth," The blue haired Prince slowly turned his head from the ocean before him, acknowledging the female voice that had calmly called his name. The Hylian Princess sat next to him, her head turned and her blue eyes watching him with subtle curiosity. _

"_Yes?" Marth asked quietly, trying to stay calm. Her radiant beauty always managed to make his heart beat faster. _

"_Do you have views like this back in Altea?" Her voice was barely above a whisper; as if she feared that speaking too loud would ruin the tranquil atmosphere surrounding them. Currently, Marth and Zelda sat on the deck of the Halberd, watching the sun as it slowly sank beneath the Orange Ocean they hovered over. Meta Knight had halted travel for the day, knowing that no one would get any sleep with the ship rocking back and forth all night. _

_At this time of the day, the sky seemed to merge with the water. Oranges and pinks danced in and around the clouds, and all of the colors combined to create a breathtaking sight. _

"_No," Marth finally answered, looking back to the horizon. "There's nothing like this back home." He smiled warmly, content in the moment. _

"_It's the same for Hyrule," Zelda continued, also smiling. "There are many magnificent sights throughout the kingdom…but nothing like this." _

_Silence ensued the comment, but this did not produce an awkward situation. Instead, both seemed to understand that the other was merely lost in thought. Marth's mind wandered over the possibilities of the future. When would this adventure end? Would he really just return home when it did? _

_He couldn't imagine just going back to Altea as if nothing had changed. Being on this journey had changed his life completely, and truthfully, he hoped it would never end. He wanted to stay with his newfound comrades longer, and not be forced to just forget about them. People like Meta Knight, Ike, Zelda, Kirby, and so many others were now his cherished friends, who he couldn't imagine his life without. _

"_Are you going to miss this?" Zelda questioned again, her eyes never leaving the Prince. _

"_Yes," Marth answered, a saddened expression crossing his face. "I'm going to miss a lot of things about this journey." He faced the Princess again. "I've gained so many friends here." _

"_I'm going to miss you, Marth," Zelda murmured, earning a slight blush from the teenage boy. The Princess giggled in her soprano tone. _

"_I'll…m-miss you, too," Marth replied shakily, trying to hide his reddened face. _

_Zelda looked back to the sunset; she didn't want to embarrass the boy further. Marth watched her, marveling at her natural splendor. It hadn't been long since the two had become friends, but already they felt as if they'd known each other all their lives. Both being royalty, the pair had plenty of things in common. Both knew the loneliness of palace life and the parental expectation to be perfect. _

_Marth almost jumped when he felt pressure lean against his shoulder. He looked down to find Zelda resting against him lightly, her eyes closed and a smile spread across her face. Marth's cheeks burned from the sudden close contact, but he didn't dare move. Instead, he leaned his head against hers and breathed in the scent of her hair. He couldn't name the smell directly, but it was something sweet and natural. _

_After a few moments, Zelda leaned her head up and looked at the boy through half closed eyes. Not thinking twice, Marth closed his eyes stretched his neck down towards the Princess. Zelda's eyelids shut once again as the Prince's lips brushed her own. _

Marth awoke with a start, shaken from the very realistic dream. He looked about, reminding himself of who and where he was. A figure lay sprawled out on the bed next to his. Ike, his roommate, was still asleep. Laying his head back onto his pillow, Marth exhaled deeply.

_How much longer am I going to be tormented by these dreams?_ He thought. Lately, memories of the past had been haunting the Prince in his sleep, all concerning the Hylian Princess he cared for. Back when Tabuu was still at large, Marth and Zelda had become close friends, and the Prince had starting gaining more than just friendly feelings for his female companion. Unlike in his dreams, though, he had never acted on his feelings or told the teenage girl how he felt.

When they were forced to separate after Tabuu's defeat, Marth had placed a chaste kiss on Zelda's cheek during their heartfelt goodbye. He assumed he would never see the Princess again after that, so the ultimately didn't mean anything to him. It wasn't until he was called on again to help conquer a new evil that things began to get complicated.

He'd been on the Halberd for several weeks now and the teenage girl had almost never left his mind. The two hadn't spoken much since returning to the ship, mostly because Zelda was almost always with Link now. Marth just figured that the two had grown closer since the end of the previous journey.

He often saw them holding hands or even sharing a kiss in the hallway, things that caused a twinge of longing and jealousy to serge through his heart. Although he didn't want to admit it, Marth knew that he was hopelessly in love, and the constant dreams reminded him of that.

"Nnnggh," Ike groaned as he rolled over in his bed; Marth flinched at the sudden noise. Finding a new, comfortable position, the mercenary soon slipped back into unconsciousness. Marth watched for several moments as the younger's chest slowly rose and fell in silent rhythm, and then slowly forced himself off of the mattress, not wanting to go back to sleep.

Stepping in front of the mirror that hung on one of the walls within the small room, Marth looked at himself in disappointment. His cerulean eyes appeared fatigued and uninterested, traits gained from lack of sleep. In the weeks he'd been back on the Halberd, the Prince had barely slept. The restlessness of his dreams always left him on edge during most of the day, which frequently made him not want to fall back into the anxious slumber.

_Well at least it's not as bad as it could be_, Marth contemplated. He could still be the innocent and defenseless kid of his childhood. At least his eyes had somewhat become balanced with the rest of his face, instead of making him look like a girl like they use to. Even though Marth was confident with and accepted his appearance, there was always a part of him that wished he were more masculine looking. Some broader shoulders wouldn't hurt, and maybe a less heart-shaped face.

Sighing inwardly, the teenage boy pulled off his cotton nightshirt and retrieved a blue cardigan from a dresser drawer. As he was fastening the front buttons of the garment, Marth noticed Ike shift on the bed again. The mercenary sat up lazily and began rubbing at his tired eyes.

"Good morning," The Prince whispered, careful not to be too loud.

Ike stretched sluggishly, taking his time to become fully conscious.

"Morning," He mumbled, picking the last bit of sleep from his right eye. Marth rolled his eyes, knowing that he wasn't going to get much more of a conversation than that. Looking back to the mirror, the Prince straightened his blue locks into an acceptable fashion.

"Where you headed so early?" Ike's slurred words came as a surprise. Marth didn't think the younger could complete sentences this early.

"I couldn't sleep," The Prince explained, straightening his collar. "I think I'm going to go practice my swordplay somewhere."

Ike's glazed pupils followed the older teenager as he crossed the room and grabbed the falchion that had lay in its sheath against Marth's bedpost. Attaching the sword to his waist, the Prince waved a small goodbye to his roommate. The gesture only half-registered in the mercenary's sleepy mind as Marth reached for the door.

Being around Ike proved to be painful for Marth at times; his presence held too much of a reminder of the past. The Prince often couldn't stand to be around the younger in the morning, and he would frequently find excuses to leave him alone. Ike didn't seem to notice it much. As Marth walked through the threshold of the room, he felt relief, even if just for a moment. With the door closed behind him, a wave of guilt overcame the young Prince.

_I shouldn't try to avoid him,_ he thought with regret. Although Marth thought logically, knowing exactly what he should be doing, he secretly knew that he wasn't strong enough to obey the sense. He let his feet guide him down the hallway, following some uncertain path. The corridors of the Halberd were lit with their usual lanterns, a chore probably done by Meta Knight himself.

Depression loomed over the blue haired teenager as he stalked the hallways, searching for some purpose to be up this early. _There must be some way to forget about this situation, _he assured himself silently. _I just have to find it. _

To be continued…

A/N: yeah, I know it's short :) oh well!


	3. Chapter 2

"Peach, I don't understand why I have to come with you," Zelda complained as she involuntarily followed the Mushroom Princess down one of the twisting corridors of the Halberd.

"You're coming because I asked you nicely!" Peach explained in her bubbly tone. She was hurriedly making her way down to a small hidden doorway that led to a small deck that sat on the outside of the ship. The Hylian trailed the other woman as she practically skipped with happiness.

Earlier, Ike had slipped a note to the Mushroom Princess that had requested that she meet him in the spot that they were headed. While there was no given reason for the mercenary's sudden inquiry, Peach had decided that the motivation must have been based on romantic feelings. The situation had prompted the Mushroom Princess to ask her Hylian friend to accompany her to the meeting, for she was secretly scared to face the young man alone.

"Are you expecting me to stay with you if this turns into a love confession?" Zelda questioned.

"Of course not," Peach answered, waving at her friend in assurance. "You may leave if he desires us to be alone." The excited girl giggled in her extremely feminine tone, and her high-heeled shoes seemed to pace even faster with anticipation. As the two drew closer to their destination, Peach dropped back and linked arms with her comrade. She bounced happily, blabbing on about how she wondered if he was already waiting for her. Zelda only half listened to the chatter of her friend, ultimately wanting to tone her out all together.

Peach eagerly poked her head around the corner of the door that led to the hidden destination when they arrived, but then pouted in disappointment when she discovered that Ike had not beaten them to the spot.

"He's not here yet!" Peach whined as she ventured out onto the small deck space.

"Well you did practically run here," Zelda laughed, looking out onto the horizon. High noon had already passed and the relaxed afternoon hours were well on their way. The sun remained hidden by several clouds, which prevented the atmosphere from becoming uncomfortably hot.

As of right now, the Halberd was speeding above an unknown ocean in a world neither of the princesses had ever visited. The blues and greens of the vast body of water blurred together as the two gazed out upon them. Many days, none of the Smashers had ever even heard of the worlds they traveled over. While this caused unease in some, most just kept their trust in Meta Knight, hoping that the captain knew exactly where he was steering.

The two friends gazed out upon the glistening ocean in silent solitude. A few brief moments stretched out between them as nothing was spoken, only the sound of air rushing past them as the ship continued on its course. Neither looked at the other as the time wore on in a peaceful hush. Zelda leaned over the protective railing that stood before her and basked in the sunlight that was starting to protrude from behind the clouds. She had all but forgotten about her female comrade when she heard a blood-curdling scream rip through the quiet air.

Turning in haste, the Hylian Princess found her friend being seized violently by the shoulders by a tall, cloaked figure that had somehow snuck up behind them without notice. Another desperate cry escaped Peach's throat as she struggled in the man's strong grasp.

"Hey! Stop! What do you think you're doing?" Zelda cried as she lunged for the stranger, her face red with sudden anger. She threw her arms over the shoulders of the man in an attempt to pry him off of her scared friend. The figure released Peach just long enough to shove Zelda off of his back with one strong hand and cause her to fall to the floor painfully. When Peach tried to strike the face of the distracted man, he immediately grasped the Mushroom Princess by the arms and forced her backwards.

Zelda, clutching in pain at the arm that had scraped beneath her when she had fallen, watched as the other woman was pushed violently, more shrieks for help ringing from her lips. The man mercilessly pressed her back against the railing, making her spine curve over the bar as she attempted to fight back.

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Zelda begged, still cradling her arm close to her chest as she attempted to stand. The Hylian's face twisted in fear as she watched the situation unfold.

Then, in one swift motion, the man pushed forward, causing the Mushroom to topple over the edge of the railing completely, her legs falling over her head.

"NOOOOO!" Zelda screamed, rapidly pushing past the man and thrusting her arms outward, as if in an attempt to grab her friend in mid air. Pain surged through the Hylian's left arm, but the feeling was completely ignored. Captivated in horror at the sight before her, Zelda was unable to do anything except watch as her friend was propelled from the small deck area toward the back of the ship. Within seconds, Peach was out of sight and tears were beginning to stream down the face of the Hylian.

_She's gone_, she thought with dread_. Oh god…_

Seconds later, Zelda's terror and shock faded to pure rage. Her had snapped back to the man who had just caused her best friend to plummet to an early death. He was now coming at her, arms out in front of him in a battle-like stance. The Hylian screeched in fury and lunged at the cloaked figure again, light magic starting to glow within her open palms. No fear apparent in his body language, the man grabbed one of Zelda's hands and covered her mouth with his other palm.

The Hylian struggled futilely in his grasp; the man's strength far exceeded that of the dainty princess. Fire burned within the Zelda's fists, but the covered hands and arms of the stranger remained untouched by the threat.

"Shhhh," the stranger whispered, holding the maiden closer to him. The princess flailed her free arm about in an effort to escape. She whipped her hand around his head, digging her nails into the fabric that hid his face. The hood fell back, revealing the identity of her assaulter. Zelda's brilliant blue eyes widened suddenly as the realization of the severe situation sunk in.

The figure grinned a menacing smirk and then, taking advantage of the momentary relaxation of the body in his arms, pushed forward toward the railing. Zelda's muffled screams remained controlled by the hand stretched across her delicate lips. Within moments, Zelda was experiencing the same panic that had come over her friend only minutes earlier. Her back bent in the same way Peach's had and she could feel her feet lifting from the safety of the deck.

In one last effort, Zelda clung to the cloak of the figure, as if hoping she could somehow pull him down to death as well. Her clawing hand was easily removed from the fabric.

"NNNNNGGGHHHHH," Zelda pleaded through the skin of the figure. She bit down hard on the hand that restricted her, but there was no cry of pain, not even a wince of discomfort, that came from the figure.

The last image that registered in the princess's mind was the look of that taunting smile etched into the expression of her assailant, before she was completely shoved off of the balcony to her tragic demise.


	4. Chapter 3

The morning wore on in an uneventful slump as Marth continued to practice his swordplay without cease. After having left his roommate, the Altean had let his feet wander about the enormous airship until he came across an empty practice room. There, he had decided to stay, detached from everyone, until hunger pains became too distracting.

High noon passed and the prince decided to sheath his sword and proceed to the dining hall for the mid-day meal. Since the beginning of the first mission to defeat Tabuu, Sir Meta Knight had had his once humble dining room converted into an expansive great hall to accommodate the all of the Halberd's new passengers. Waddle Dees and Doos manned the kitchen connected to the hall, serving a variety of dishes everyday. Marth wasn't sure how the pantries always remained stocked with different ingredients, but the matter wasn't something that took up too much of his thinking space.

The long corridors of the Halberd were silent as the prince ambled through them.

_Where is everybody?_ Marth asked himself, starting to feel a sense of unease. _This silence isn't normal_. Then, suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps caught the prince's attention. Quick, light feet were coming towards him, as if someone was running in fear. Turning around, Marth soon spotted a hysteric Pit, heaving as he sprinted toward him.

"Marth!" the younger cried in relief. "There you are!" The angel's wings were tucked behind him protectively and his amethyst eyes glowed with anxiety.

"Pit? What's wrong?" The Altean demanded, running to meet his comrade. Pit halted and leaned over, his breathing hard and uneven. Marth's expression melted into a hushed panic.

_Something's seriously wrong_, the older thought, gently grasping the angel's shoulders in comfort.

"There…" Pit breathed, still trying to calm himself. "There's been…an…an accident…" Heavy breathing broke almost every word the angel spoke.

"An accident?" The prince repeated, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"It's…" Pit looked up at his friend, finally seeming to have caught his breath. "It's Peach…a-and Zelda." Marth's cerulean eyes shot open as the last word fell from the younger's lips.

_No…_

"Marth…the deck…" tears formed and fell from the angel's worried eyes.

Within seconds, Marth was sprinting down the hallway from which Pit had come. Adrenaline drove his legs to their limit, hoping to get to the deck as fast as possible. The quiet sobs of the sad angel could be heard behind the prince, indicating that Pit was following not far behind.

Marth's heels burned, but the pain was ignored as he continued to run at full speed. Nothing could stop him from continuing down this panicked path when the possibility of Zelda being in trouble loomed over his head. Before long, Marth could spot the eerie glow of the outside world that emitted from the deck's entrance. The Altean's heartbeat raced as he recognized a few Smashers' silhouettes blocking the doorway.

_Oh please_, Marth silently begged. _Please let her be all right_.

Smashers appeared to be tightly packed together on the deck area, causing the haunting entrance to become barricaded by all of the sardine-d bodies. Cries of agony rang from outside; a woman was suffering. The screams ceased for the moment, and Marth was soon pushing his way into the hectic crowd, desperate to find the source of the noise. King Dedede merely groaned as the prince shoved past the penguin's enormous stomach. Other Smasher's didn't seem to notice as the blue haired teen anxiously slipped by them without a word, and then continued to push his way deeper into the crowd.

For the longest time, Marth couldn't see anything of what was happening, but then suddenly, as a taller Smasher shifted, the prince could see a scene of utter tragedy walking amongst the others.

There, in the arms of a young mercenary, laid a heavily bleeding Princess Peach. Her entire body appeared covered in scrapes and scratches, as if some merciless assailant had beaten her. One huge, open wound ran down the center of the princess's delicate face, which oozed bright red blood. Her eyes were closed and her body was limp and fragile in Ike's shaking arms. The mercenary cradled her close to his broad chest as he tried to shuffle through the large crowd, probably eager to get Peach to medical attention.

Meta Knight attempted to guide the two through the gathered Smashers, his booming voice commanding everyone to make way. Marth watched as the scene carried on, captivated by the sight of the fallen maiden and her heart-broken rescuer. As Ike carried his bleeding lover, his eyes became obviously filled with desperate tears. He gazed down upon her longingly, one hand buried in her blonde hair as he clung to her.

"Ike!" Marth shouted toward his crying roommate. "Ike! What happened?" The prince's voice was swallowed up by the noise of the other Smashers surrounding him; Ike didn't even glance his way.

A female scream ripped through the atmosphere again, and Marth's head snapped toward the direction from which the sound had erupted. Not far behind Ike and his princess was a much tighter group of people surrounding something.

_Zelda…_

Once again, Marth started pushing his way through his comrades in an attempt to get a better look at the unfolding situation. His heart beat faster with each foot he gained toward the scene. The prince's mind still reeled over the images he had seen just moments earlier. Peach hadn't appeared to be moving. What if she didn't make it? What happened here? And…

What if Zelda was in a similar predicament?

As Marth pushed passed the final Smasher that blocked his path, he felt his heart sink very low in his chest. In the middle of all of the clustered chaos, lay a sobbing Zero Suit Samus, her arms and face flung across the unconscious Princess Zelda, who lay motionless on the deck floor. Samus was hysterical, screams of agony ripping from her pale lips as uncontrollable tears ran down her frantic face. No one dared move toward the two, even though Zelda was obviously seriously hurt and in desperate need of attention. The female bounty hunter clung to her friend as she cried, her hands pulling the motionless princess closer to her own shaking body.

The prince moved quickly, running to the bounty hunter and gently, yet hastily peeling her off of the hurt Hylian. Samus fought back, flailing her arms about in an attempt to get back to the princess. The huntress was strong, but not enough so that Marth lost control of her. He handed the young woman to Snake, who reluctantly took the female into his large grasp. The Altean was back on the floor within seconds, trying to somehow help the situation. He hovered over Zelda, his hands resting on the ground on either side of her delicate face.

"Zelda!" He shouted at her. "Zelda! Can you hear me?"

Blood was pooling beneath the princess, and gruesome marks covered all of her visible skin. He lifted one hand, continuing to call her name, and tried to forcibly open one of her lilac eyelids. He shook her shoulders and lightly tapped her cheeks, trying anything and everything that might make her regain consciousness.

She didn't respond.

Marth looked about, realizing that everyone was watching him intently.

"What happened to her?" He demanded, staring at Samus, who was trying to calm herself. Snake had wrapped his arms around her comfortingly.

"I-I dunno," the huntress stuttered, water still poring from her eyes. "She and Peach were just lying here covered in blood! Z-zelda was screaming a few minutes ago…b-but then she just stopped…"

"Did anyone else see anything?" Marth screamed, scanning the rest of the bystanders.

"T-they fell!" A frightened Toon Link shouted from his spot next to Fox.

_Fell? From where? _

Marth's mind swam in a million different directions_. This doesn't make any sense. What do I do? Do I take her inside? Do I try to find Meta first?_ He gazed back at the princess, knowing that if he didn't get her to help soon, her chances of living would be slim to none. Her blood was already beginning to seep into Marth's trousers as he knelt beside her.

Then, in one swift motion, the princess was in the Altean's arms, held bridal style. Marth had lifted Zelda off the ground, making the decision to take initiative and get her off the deck himself. He could feel his clothing soaking up the warm, red liquid that covered her lithe body as he held her close.

"Move!" Marth yelled. Unlike before, the Smashers obeyed and parted a way for the prince to get through.

Feelings of fear, melancholy, and even love flooded through Marth as he ran towards the exit. _I wont let her die. She can't die… _

Ike and Meta Knight were nowhere in sight, and Marth had no earthly idea where the swordsmen had taken Peach; therefore he didn't know where to take the princess in his arms. He looked down at Zelda when he had reached the corridor that branched off from the deck. She was still unconscious, but her chest seemed to be rising and falling in staggered breaths.

No one was in the hallway; all of the Smashers seemed to still be packed together on the deck. Then, for the second time that afternoon, Marth heard footsteps sprinting towards him. He turned his attention from the deck to the hallway ahead and found Meta Knight quickly running in his direction.

"Marth," The captain of the Halberd barked, whipping out his wings and flying the rest of the distance to meet the prince. "Bring her this way, quickly."

Marth did as he was told and promptly followed the knight through the winding corridors.

"What happened out there, Meta?" The Altean questioned, holding Zelda a bit closer to him as he hastily tried to keep up with the other's pace.

"I still have no information on the cause of the situation." The knight said, keeping his gaze forward. "No one saw anything, and obviously the two victims are unable to talk at this time."

Silence ensued the short conversation between the two, and all that could be heard was the sound of hurried footsteps falling beneath them. Marth had no clue where the knight was leading them, but frankly, he didn't care. Meta knew this ship better than anyone else (mainly because he built it), and the prince was confident that the captain knew what he was doing.

In truth, Meta, despite his confident demeanor, was just as scared and apprehensive as his princely friend. No emergency of this magnitude had ever occurred amongst the Smashers; the knight had no experience in handling a situation like this. When Meta had heard the screams of the now unconscious women, he'd quickly made his way to the deck to investigate, leaving the ship's wheel to a trusted Sailor Dee. There, he'd found two princesses, both heavily bleeding and one crying for help. Peach had been unresponsive from the beginning, which had led Meta to believe the worst.

After ensuring Zelda that he would return, the knight had left the two in search of someone who could help. He'd found Ike within seconds of exiting the deck, who had then assisted in retrieving Princess Peach. By that time, Smashers had already begun gathering on the deck, and everything was getting crowded and uncomfortable. Zelda fell silent as soon as the mushroom princess was in Ike's grasp, probably a result of her blood loss. Meta didn't want to leave the Hylian, but he had no choice. No others were willing to help, as if the act of touching the wounded was some kind of taboo amongst them.

So, Zelda was left in the midst of the assembling bystanders, helpless until Meta Knight would return for her. The knight had worried about the Hylian all the way up until he saw her in lying within Marth's reassuring grasp. Now, Meta swiftly paced ahead of the prince, anxious to get the other injured victim to the makeshift infirmary he had set up in a nearby room.

When the two were merely feet from their destination, a clear voice rang out from behind them.

"Zelda!" A young swordsman yelled, his voice laced with desperation. Both the prince and the captain knew who has running towards them, but neither of them stopped to acknowledge the Hero of Time.

"Hurry," Meta whispered, opening the infirmary door. His eyes locked with Marth, conveying the unspoken message 'Get inside before Link sees her'. The prince obeyed, and slipped into the room, Meta closing the door behind him.

Link was fumbling all over himself as he frantically tried to reach his princess, who had disappeared into a dark room in the arms of another man. He almost fell several times before he halted in front of the commander of the Halberd, his eyes wide with worry and fear.

"Link," Meta uttered, looking into the young man's sapphire eyes. "Please calm yourself."

"Calm myself?" The Hero spat. "I'll calm myself after you let me see Zelda!"

"I'm sorry," the knight retorted, his voice remaining monotone. "I cannot let you in until you have settled down. What if Zelda were to wake up from her condition? Do you think it would be healthy for her to see you in this state?"

"I don't care! I need to see her!" And with that, Link easily pushed past Meta in hopes of making his way into the infirmary. At that moment, Marth stepped out of the door that Link was hurriedly reaching for. The front and arms of his cardigan was drenched in blood, and his expression was serious.

"You really shouldn't see her now, Link." The prince murmured, putting his hands up in front of him, as if ready to physically hold the Hero back. Link looked up at his fellow swordsman, his eyes beginning to become filled with hate. A wave of guilt came over Marth, but the Altean refused to let the emotion show on his could still feel the weight of Zelda's warm body on his limbs and the smell of her lingered on his soaking clothing, but he tried to push those heartbreaking facts far from his outer expression.

As Marth stared at the glaring Hero, it took all of his control to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall at the edge of his eyes. Now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, the prince was experiencing the intense feelings of grief and internal pain that could not surface until now. Without another word, Link pushed passed the prince and opened the infirmary door. Marth stood frozen in his spot.

"No!" Meta Knight bellowed, flying in after the Hero. The door closed with a thud and still Marth hadn't moved. Then, all at once, tears started flowing from the blue haired boy's eyes and fell onto his stained clothing. His face became twisted with grief, and he brought his bloodied hands up to cover his crying face in shame. All of the feelings that Marth had strove to deny and hide came crashing down around him in that moment.

He did love Zelda, more than anything.

Holding her in his arms, seeing her unconscious, and all of the other images that he'd seen that horrific afternoon only proved that fact more. What if she didn't live through the accident? What if he never heard her speak again? Could he handle that kind of pain?

More unanswered questions swirled in the Altean's mind, and for once, he let the uncertainty consume him. The prince leaned his back against the nearest wall and slowly slid down into a sitting position. Heavy breathing and subtle cries of agony echoed down the hallway. Marth could only hope that no one was close enough to hear his forlorn weeping…

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 4

"I'm sorry," a deep voice murmured in regret. "There is nothing more that can be done." Sounds of brokenhearted cries followed the words of the apologetic voice.

It'd been approximately five hours since a horrific accident had occurred on the deck of the battleship Halberd. Two victims had been seriously injured, and now one was officially pronounced dead.

Peach didn't wake up from her unconsciousness, and by the time Ike had reached the infirmary, her pulse had dwindled down to nothing. She wasn't coming back; wasn't going to wake up. Now, the mercenary sat in a chair beside her corpse, head in his hands, soft cries emitting from the back of his dry throat. The Mushroom princess's body lay upon a small bed dressed with white linen. Her blood had stopped flowing and begun to crust over all of her open wounds. The white sheets were painted with the red liquid, like some sort of splattered, twisted mural. Her once rosy cheeks had faded to a pale beige color, and a haunting atmosphere had molded itself around her delicate figure.

The room was small, and the smell of death hung in the air. A veil of white fabric separated the only two beds in the area. On one side, Ike sat mourning over the loss of his beloved. On the other, Link waited in hushed anxiety beside a coma-induced Zelda. The Hylian Princess hadn't woken from her slumber either. However, unlike the now deceased maiden, her pulse appeared strong, and her breathing was relatively normal. Her eyelashes fluttered every few minutes, as if she were to awaken, before suddenly ceasing as she fell back into the heavy sleep that held her. Just like the nearby mercenary, the Hero of Time sat in a chair beside his battered lover. In his hands, he clasped one of her delicate palms, stroking the smooth skin lightly. Tears fell from his sapphire eyes, but he did not suffer from the sorrowful sobs that Ike did. Instead, he appeared to maintain his composure more easily, even though his body lightly shook with apparent anxiety.

Meta Knight stood just outside the infirmary door, having just delivered the devastating news to his mercenary comrade. The situation had required the captain to remain calm and composed throughout the entire day, even though his emotions were secretly raging on the inside. The sights and sounds of devastation had immediately brought back memories of warfare to the experienced knight. Recollections of dying friends and vanquished enemies had played through his mind like some form of torturous motion picture, but still, he remained calm. Now, the adrenaline caused by the circumstances was starting to wear off and Meta was beginning to feel the fatigue and pressure weigh down on his subconscious.

He left the room depressed, his large feet dragging under him slightly as he tried to put space between himself and the desolate infirmary. Little did he know, the day was far from over. Although the sun was setting over the unknown ocean, the aftermath events of the accident were just starting to brew. Smashers had long since exited the bloodstained deck, but not to retire to their own individual rooms. Instead, they remained in the halls of the Halberd, gossiping over possible explanations for the Princess' disaster.

"Meta!"

The knight turned to acknowledge the voice that had called out his name. There, several meters behind him, he found Marth jogging toward him, his royal voice reverberating off the metal walls. Meta stopped, waiting patiently as the Altean caught up to where he stood. Marth had changed out of the bloody clothing he'd worn whilst carrying the injured Zelda. The knight sighed, relieved by that fact. The red liquid soaking his friend had been a secretly horrifying sight to bear. Visions of Marth broken and bleeding had plagued the knight every time he caught glimpse of the crimson stains, which made him cringe inwardly.

"I'm sorry I didn't find you earlier," Marth apologized, standing next to his puffball friend. "Samus is having a hard time keeping it together. I stayed with her for a while." Meta put a hand up, silencing the prince.

"There is no need to apologize. I understand that things are hectic." The knight clarified. Marth nodded, seeming to comprehend. In truth, Marth had spent most of the afternoon trying to gather himself. He'd spent some time with Samus, but not enough that it would have made a difference in her wellbeing. Marth's skin sagged a bit underneath his large eyes, revealing just how upset he had really been. Meta noticed the change, but did not voice it, for fear of hurting his friend or making him uncomfortable. The last thing Meta needed was more heartbreak.

"How are they?" Marth inquired, looking away.

"Peach is dead. Zelda is no better than when you left her." The prince's gaze snapped back to the knight's yellow eyes, caught off guard by the sudden news.

"Peach is…dead?" The taller choked. He covered his mouth with one hand, as if saying the word was forbidden. Shock and heartbreak swam in the young prince's eyes, indicating that he had not prepared himself for the worst news. Meta resisted his own distressed feelings in hopes of helping his comrade.

"She will be greatly missed," the Knight continued. "However…we must uncover how this tragedy came to be. We must find justice for the deceased."

Marth's head snapped up.

"You don't think this was an accident?" He questioned, new thoughts starting to plague his throbbing mind.

"No," Meta said honestly. "I think they were pushed." The knight started to amble down the hallway, heading in some unknown direction. Marth hesitantly followed the captain, curious as to where he was going, but not enough so to ask.

"Why do you think that?" Marth asked several moments later. "You can't possibly think there's a traitor amongst us."

"I don't know, Marth." The elder confessed. "But we need to find out."

"How?"

"I want to arrange a meeting, in which we may speak with all of the Smashers presently on the Halberd. I am confident I will be able to spot the perpetrator…if there is one." The Knight prided himself on his ability to identify the guilty, a skill that he had perfected during his experience at war.

Marth furrowed his eyebrows together, suddenly very confused about the situation. The prince had assumed from the beginning that all of this had been an accident, a tragedy caused by nothing more than fate. No one had apparently seen anything remotely suspicious; even Toon Link's remark about the two princesses falling had seemed harmless. However, now that Meta was suggesting otherwise, the Altean was having a hard time piecing the puzzle together.

"Do you know where they…fell from, Meta?" The prince inquired further.

"It appears that they were on the small deck near the front of the ship before all of this happened." The knight answered, picking up his pace. Marth still didn't know where they were headed, but that fact seemed of little importance at the moment. The Prince was too focused on deciphering these new details.

Then suddenly, the two were in the midst of almost all of the Smashers. The pair had passed through a high archway into a large room that served as a common room for all of the warriors. The area was completely filled with gossiping figures, which all turned toward the Captain of the Halberd when he entered. Everything fell silent; everyone was waiting for news of the Princesses. Clearing his throat, Meta Knight stepped forward and looked around at his fellow heroes.

"The Princess Peach…" he began, before looking back to his Altean friend momentarily. Marth nodded in encouragement.

"Peach is dead."

As soon as those devastating words fell from the captain's lips, the room erupted into desperate whispers, all consisting of some form of comment about the deceased princess. Many looked down, trying to hold back the sudden sadness they felt for their fallen friend.

"How is Zelda?" A voice called from the back of the crowd. It was Samus, who still clung to Snake. "What news do you have of her?" Her tone was desperate, yet hopeful. Again, the room fell silent, all of the murmurs coming to a halt. A crowd of eyes looked to Meta, who suddenly felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Zelda has regressed into a sleep-like state. Though her heart still beats, she does not wake." Quiet sobs reverberated from Samus and some of the others. Marth could feel his own tears returning, but he resisted the urge to succumb to the sad sensation.

"I am aware that this is a difficult time for our band of comrades, but I must voice the very real possibility that this event was no accident." Meta announced. "We must assemble and find out exactly how this situation occurred."

Instead of whispers, normal conversation commenced. Questions of betrayal and worry swirled around the knight and his blue-haired friend, but none of them were directly aimed at them. No one seemed to be interested in conversing as a group, a fact that the knight quickly picked up on.

Meta stepped back and looked up at Marth, who leaned down to hear what the shorter had to say.

"I feel that we will get nowhere with only myself instigating this meeting." The blue puffball explained quietly. "I require your assistance, Marth." He admitted. The Altean nodded and stood up straight.

"Everyone needs to proceed to the Dining Hall for a conference on this matter." Meta announced, gesturing back toward the exit of the room. Smashers looked at each other before starting to proceed down to the requested destinations.

Meta sighed inwardly, relieved that everyone was complying to his demands. He then looked about, remembering that he had left Ike and Link with the princesses back in the infirmary.

They need to be a part of this, he thought to himself. I haven't ruled them out as possible culprits, but I can't go retrieve them myself. Not when I need to keep order here. Finding Marth again, Meta quickly sprinted over to him. He gently pulled on the prince's cape, earning the taller's attention.

"Forgive me," Meta murmured in his low tone. "I know you will not want to, but I must request that you go fetch Ike and Link from where we left them."

Marth's eyes widened. He knew that he needed to help his friend, but the prince wasn't sure if he could handle going in that room again. Seeing Zelda would be painful enough. Seeing her with Link would be even worse. Pushing those thoughts away, Marth swallowed.

"Y-yes," he stuttered. "I will gladly go for you."

Meta saw the conflict within the blue-haired teen, and he felt a sudden pang of guilt for sending him on this necessary errand. The elder knew about the prince's feelings toward the Hylian princess, although he had never said it aloud. When two people maintained a friendship as close as Marth and Meta Knight's, things that monumental never go unnoticed.

The Altean turned on his heel and headed back down the way he had come. Meta watched for several seconds as his friend ran, hoping that the further away he got away, the further his own gloom would fade.

He was wrong.

Marth was at the infirmary door within moments, staring at the wood that separated him from his objective. Taking a final deep breath, the teen opened the door to reveal the depressing atmosphere within. Zelda was in the bed closest to the entrance, with Link still sitting next to her, his head in his hands. The Hero of Time didn't stir when the Altean opened the door, probably too engrossed in his own sadness to notice anything else. Marth looked passed the blonde teenager and found Ike cradling the dead princess in his shaking arms.

The prince quickly looked away, fearing his tears would return if he gazed upon the scene for much longer.

"I…" the Altean tried to begin his explanation of why he had come, but once again, he found himself choked up by the sight of the Hylian that he loved. His eyes were transfixed on her fragile face. She appeared so soft, and yet so pained in the same moment. Her dress had been changed to a pure white gown, and the blood had been cleaned from her pale skin. She looked like an angel as she lay on the bed, a being too pure to belong to such a horribly disappointing world.

"For…forgive me," Marth finally whispered. Link lifted his head, revealing his bloodshot blue eyes. "You and Ike must accompany me to the Dining Hall, Link."

Although the prince was speaking to the Hero, his eyes remained fixated on Zelda as words flowed from him. He couldn't help it; she was too perfect to look away from. He wanted to soak up every ounce of this moment. Every second that she was breathing was like a thousand wishes coming true, and Marth wanted to keep them all for himself.

"All right," a voice said from behind the prince. Marth turned to find Ike hovering behind him, a sad smile strung across his broad face. The sight sent shiver of despair down the Altean's spine.

"G-good," Marth managed, looking back to the Hero of Time. Link still hadn't moved from his position on the edge of the bed. He gazed up at Marth with eyes full of sorrow and grief. He looked so broken in spirit, as if this woman was the only thing that truly mattered in his life. It ached to see the Hero like that, and it wasn't long before Marth couldn't take the sight anymore. The Altean abruptly looked away, concealing his threatening tears with one hand. Drying his eyes, the prince glanced back to the mercenary.

"We m-must go," Marth repeated, gently tapping his tall comrade on the shoulder. Ike nodded in response and headed towards the exit. Despite his better judgment, Marth turned to the Hero and his princess once again. There he found the blonde teenager leaning over Zelda, his lips lightly pressed against hers. His hands were on either side of her head; he did not touch her anywhere else but her delicate mouth.

Marth froze.

It had been weeks since he had witnessed any physical affection between the Hylians, but that did not protect the prince against the deep, disgusted feeling he experienced in the pit of his stomach. Even with the Zelda limp and lifeless beneath Link's touch, the sensation did not ebb. Marth wanted to die in that very moment, merely crumble up and disappear into nothing. Anything would have been better than suffering through that bitter, hatful feeling.

Within moments, Link was back on his feet, heading towards the door Ike had just opened. He didn't look up, didn't even acknowledge Marth's existence as he quickly passed him. The prince watched him go, keeping his expression completely passive and emotionless.

But on the inside, Marth was dying.

A/N: I am so so so so so so so so sorry to anyone that was waiting for this T.T please forgive me! Melrose has been very busy with things lately and my stories seem to have fallen by the wayside…Anyway! I hope this chapter is satisfactory :) I love you all!


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